Silent Confession
by ElvenSailorGirl
Summary: Historically, Stauffenberg was a practicing Catholic. What would his confession have been if he had confessed about his involvement in the July 20 plot? Here’s my take on it within the confines of the film.


**Disclaimer: **I own nothing. All this is is my interpretation of another interpretation of the actions and motivations of a real man in a real event. I claim nothing and I will make no money.

**Author's Note:** This is completely and utterly based on the factoid I saw that Stauffenberg was a practicing Catholic. I thought it'd be an interesting thing to explore in the confines of the film (since we only see Stauffenberg in a church once, and then he's meeting with Olbricht, and in the back of the church).

* * *

Bless me father, for I have sinned. I have enticed another man to join a conspiracy to commit murder. I can take a bit of comfort from the fact that he will not be the one to end all of this with bloodstained hands, and yet I know that the condemnation I have enticed him into is just that, condemnation. My condemnation will be more dire, I know, and of my own making completely.

I have coveted. I have coveted a whole man's hands, and not for the reasons I thought I might. It was not so I could properly hug my children or hold my wife, but something altogether more sinister than that. I covet the ease with which I would be able to carry out the assassination of the Führer.

I have judged. I make no claims to holiness, yet I have judged the men who have the position to do something. When a man is morally and physically engaged in a war against tyranny, if he has the ability to do that which is needed or to facilitate it; he has an obligation to act accordingly. I know I have no right to judge these men and yet their inaction baffles and angers me simultaneously.

I have broken an oath. I have broken it and I continue to do so without remorse or regret. When I took the oath it was taken seriously and of my own free will as a soldier. I broke and continue to break this oath in order to keep one far differently intentioned. The oath I intend to keep was taken as a countryman, the moment I was old enough to understand the importance of it, without words but rather a feeling and a desire held closely in my heart. I cannot say which oath is better, that to my Führer or that to my Germany. I only know that to keep one is to break the other now, and I will ever choose my country over any man; as my conscience tells me that my Germany was so long before the Führer and that the longer standing oath is better kept. I do not know if this is true, but I have made my decision and as a loyal German I cannot - will not - see her so defiled as the Führer will lead her to be in the end.

The murder I am to commit was not solely my idea, but it was my decision to be the tool by which it was committed, a sin I fully and gladly take upon myself. The Christ of my conscience, assures me his death will save many, a fact that is undeniably true and that is more than enough to justify action. Perhaps it is not Christ in my conscience, since judging the worth of a man's life compared to the worth of the lives of many is not godly I suppose, but neither is the vengeance I intend to enact on his followers after the fact - but for the good and right Germany, our Holy Germany to be restored it seems that a penance must be paid, a penance of blood. And were mine demanded I would gladly give it, but my blood will not remove the Führer from his tyrant's throne.

But these sins are not my only ones. Nor have I stated the worst of my sins of late.

I have doubted. Not in our course of action, which I believe is necessary. No, what I doubt is our chances of success. One single misstep and we will all fall, unwavering as we must be, into the flaming hatred belonging to Hitler's loyal Socialists. I fear our chances are small. We must - I must pray that God forgives my grievous sin and grants mercy not only on my soul in the end but also that he allows our plot to proceed as planned. I do not expect him to do such a thing not matter how desirable it would be.

And perhaps the most grievous of the sins I have listed is this - that these words will never be heard.

I trust God and the men who do his work even now, but I do not trust those in power, particularly those who have suspicions (for I fear that from the other attempts we are being found out) to stay within the boundaries that are set between that which the government is allowed to know and that which is only for the ears of God's man and God himself. So all I can do is pray that God will accept this silent confession with no intermediary, and that He will take mercy on my soul and will grant me forgiveness for both what I have done and I intend to do.

* * *

**Author's Note: **That's all folks.

I am not Catholic, so this whole exercise might be completely out of place as a confession, but the idea begged me to write it, so I did. Also, this portrayal Stauffenberg is a bit doubtful, which is an element not explored in the film, but I think it's almost inevitable, whether he let someone see it or not.

Also edited from the original to fix a phrasing issue because when I thought about it it was pretty much impossible.


End file.
